Eric Ottesen is the Director of the LF Support Center and a Research Professor in the Department of Global Health at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. He received his A.B. from Princeton University in 1965; his M.D. from Harvard University in 1970 and is board certified in pediatrics. Formerly head of the Clinical Parasitology Section of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases NIH (1975-1994), he was the Project Leader in establishing the Filariasis Elimination Programme at the World Health Organization (1995-2001).

Dr. Ottesen’s research interests have focused principally on host responsiveness to parasitic helminth infections (primarily filariasis, onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis) and on the relationship between allergic and parasitic diseases. Professional activities now target the elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis worldwide (especially program monitoring and evaluation), integrated control of tropical diseases, and the clinical and immunological aspects of filarial disease.

Dr. Dominique Kyelem is Program Director for the Gates Foundation grant at the LF Support Center. He serves as a key liaison of the LF Support Center to various partner organizations such as the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF), WHO, the World Bank, GlaxoSmithKline, and other organizations involved with LF elimination. Dr. Kyelem is responsible for developing and implementing various program objectives of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF), as well as for the day-to-day management of project related activities.

Prior to joining the LFSC, Dr. Kyelem was in charge of the unit of communicable diseases including lymphatic filariasis in the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso; he worked at various levels and sectors of the health system of his country for more than 14 years. He was the pioneer of national NIDs for polio eradication district- wise implementation in Burkina Faso. Dr Kyelem has been a consultant for WHO since 2001 supporting African countries in lymphatic filariasis elimination activities and is a member of several advisory committees.

Dr. Kyelem holds a medical degree from the University of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), a Master's in Public Health degree from the University of Heidelberg (Germany) and a PhD degree from the University of Liverpool (United Kingdom).

Brian Chu is a Senior Program Associate with the LF Support Center where he provides managerial, statistical, and monitoring and evaluation support to LF transmission assessment surveys and other operational research projects. Additionally, Brian helps lead the LF Support Center's efforts in analyzing the health and economic impact of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF). He is also the technical designer of a costing tool for USAID’s Neglected Tropical Disease Program.

Prior to joining the LF Support Center, Brian worked as a Technical Advisor for Freedom from Hunger and as a Senior Analyst for Millennium Research Group. He received his Master's in Public Health from Emory University and also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto.

Katie Gass is a part-time contractor Biostatistician with the LFSC where she helps to coordinate and perform the statistical analyses of the multi-country studies. Katie previously worked for the Academy for Educational Development as a Program Associate with the A2Z Micronutrient Project where she managed the budgets and workplans for three overseas project offices. While with the A2Z Project, she traveled to Sierra Leone to supervise a biannual drug distribution round in collaboration with Helen Keller International. Katie also served as a Peace Corps Community Health volunteer in Peru from 2003-2005

Katie recently completed her Master's degree in Public Health from Emory University. She holds a BA in Mathematics and Theatre from Oberlin College.

PJ Hooper is Research Project Manager for the LF Support Center where she researches the impact of Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) integration on LF and the other disease-specific NTD programs. She is also responsible for the LF Support Center’s communications.

In addition to her work with the LF Support Center, PJ also manages the International Trachoma Initiative’s operational research grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support NTD integration and program development.

Prior to her current position, PJ worked for the Mectizan© Donation Program, assisting in reviewing country drug applications for LF programs and processing Special Requests for Mectizan©. She also previously worked on fundraising and advocacy for the Global Alliance to Eliminate LF.

PJ holds a Master’s degree in Political Science specializing in International Relations and Comparative Politics from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor of Science degree in International Affairs and French from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She also recently received a Graduate Certificate in Core Public Health Concepts from the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill.

Rebecca Mann is Information Analyst for the LF Support Center, responsible for developing, expanding and refining data analysis and mapping. She graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Master's degree in city and regional planning – specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). She attended Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and has done research on the relationship between the design of cities and obesity rates. She also studied the use of GIS technology to predict the geographic location of West Nile Virus cases in humans.

Rebecca also works as Information Analyst with the Task Force’s International Trachoma Initiative to map monitoring and evaluation data derived from the RTI NTD Control Program activities.

Prior to joining the LF Support Center, Rebecca was a consultant for the RTI International Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Control Program and The Task Force for Global Health. She also was an intern at The Carter Center’s Global 2000 program.

Rebecca has a Bachelor’s degree in geographic sciences, concentrating in GIS and environmental studies, from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.

Alex Pavluck is the Research Informatics Analyst for the LF Support Center at The Task Force for Global Health. Alex's responsibilities at the LFSC are primarily focused on the E.D.G.E. System's data collection, management, and reporting features. Prior to joining the Task Force, he worked as an epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society. Over his five year tenure at ACS, his work contributed to a number of peer-reviewed publications.

Alex received his BA in Environmental Biology from Ohio University and his Master's in Public Health in Epidemiology from the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Prior to attending graduate school, Alex was the Director of Systems and IT Engineering for Cypress Communications, a multinational telecommunications company. In 2004, he was awarded the Dean's Award for Outstanding Service by Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Waithera Kagira-Watson serves as the Financial Analyst for the Lymphatic Filariasis Support Center (LFSC) at the Task Force for Global Health. Prior to joining the LF Support Center, Waithera worked as a Financial Associate at Harvard University for more than seven years. She has also worked with various companies in Kenya and in the Finance Department of the Baha’i World Center in Haifa, Israel.

Waithera holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, and also a graduate Certificate in Special Studies in Administration and Management from the Harvard University Extension School (concentration in International Management). Her recent studies have focused on the management of nonprofit organizations.

DiAnn Watson is the Administrative Assistant for the LF Support Center. She works closely with Dr. Eric Ottesen, Director of the LFSC. Prior to joining this department at Emory University, she was an Administrative Assistant of Pastoral Services at Emory Hospital, as well as an Administrative Assistant in the Conflict Resolution Program at The Carter Center. Before relocating to the Atlanta area, DiAnn worked for 26 years at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.

DiAnn is a graduate of Washington Irving High School in New York City. She has earned certificates in Advanced Secretarial Science and managerial courses at Lehman University. She also has taken the Negotiation and Mediation Course with the Harvard Management Group, “Getting to Yes,” gaining skillful negotiating techniques.